


Gatito

by TimmyJaybird



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Fluff, JayTim week 2016!, M/M, adorable kid crushes, tiny birds in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-22 15:44:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7444756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimmyJaybird/pseuds/TimmyJaybird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim's first face-to-face meeting with Jason, all those years ago, may have been an <i>adorable</i>, if awkward, memory- but he is fairly sure that he owes his now boyfriend a saving or two, to make up for their first night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gatito

**Author's Note:**

> Here we are on say 6 with "Redemption"!
> 
> If you couldn't tell, I'm all about Latinx Jason. Also, excuse any errors, it's been a long time since I spoke Spanish (it's mostly all forgotten sadly), and Google is... well... _Google_.

Tim watched the blur of red and yellow, through his viewfinder, his breath caught in his throat as  _ Robin _ completed his landing flawlessly, seemingly  _ effortlessly _ dropping low and kicking his leg out, dropping a man straight to the ground. He watched him leap up, launch himself over the man to get a fist to another’s face, before grabbing his arm and twisting it, the gun the man was holding falling to the ground. He kicked it away, before dropping this one as well, a knee right to the small of his back as he pulled zip tie from his belt, working his hands behind his back.

 

Tim’s finger felt like it was shaking as he hit the trigger, took picture after picture. It was late,  _ so late _ , but in the back of his mind he wasn’t even thinking of the bedroom window he had left propped open. Of the long trek it would be to get back home. How he’d get precious little sleep before school in the morning- or even of the math homework that was lying scattered on his desk, barely touched.

 

All he was thinking was about  _ Robin _ in his viewfinder and how perfect everything was, in that moment.

 

He swallowed, lowering the camera for a moment and taking in the sight with just his eyes, as Robin reached up, pushing against something on his ear. Tim assume some sort of radio, probably talking to  _ Batman _ .

 

Silently, Tim almost hoped the dark knight wouldn’t be making an appearance. It wasn’t as easy, to get close, when Batman was around. But when it was just Robin Tim was bold and reckless, and he could get close enough to see  _ everything _ .

 

Robin was off again, shooting a line up into one of the buildings and riding the zipline high. Tim watched him go, before he was out of sight completely. He sighed, letting his camera flop against his chest, held by the strap around his neck, and hurried from his hiding spot, rushing through the quiet streets. His sneakers carried him around city blocks, until he was out of breath and panting, pausing to reach out and leaned his arm against a building, doubling over as he tried to catch his breath. He hoped he was going in the right direction, it was easy to spend the whole night  _ looking _ for Batman or Robin and never finding them- and while he knew he was  _ lucky _ to have seen what he did, he was  _ greedy _ and wanted to see more of the boy wonder-

 

“Well, look-y here boys.” Tim glanced over his shoulder, at the voice, noticed a rather large man studying him. Behind him where three more, all  _ large _ in both height and bulk- and from the glint of something, jutting out from one man’s jacket,  _ armed _ . “What’s a tiny kid like you doin’ out this late? And alone?”

 

Tim straightened up, swallowed thickly. His mind was racing, trying to think of a thousand different ways to get out of this- he was  _ alone _ , couldn’t assume he’d get help by just screaming bloody murder. Couldn’t fight his way out of this- he was small, he was  _ young _ , and he  _ knew _ size wasn’t everything but boy, he was lucky that one time he’d knocked that kid down at school for teasing some girl about her haircut-

 

He’d gotten a black eye and a busted lip to show for it.

 

“What’s-a-matter, kiddo? Cat got your tongue?” The guy glanced down at his camera. “That’s a pretty camera, boy. Looks like it cost a pretty penny. Your mommy and daddy give you that?”

 

Instinctively, Tim reached up, clutched at the camera. The camera that felt like a  _ lifeline _ , a way for him to see everything he so desperately loved in this city, and block out everything he didn’t. Something to pour his heart and soul into, when the rest the world had to offer was  _ boring _ . There was no challenge-

 

And mostly, it housed all those pictures of the pretty bird that made his heart beat faster than it was, even in that exact moment.

 

“Why don’t you give it ‘ere,” the guy continued, as one of the other men cracked his knuckles. “And maybe we can give  _ mommy and daddy a call _ . I bet they’d have a pretty penny to give up to get you home in one piece.”

 

Tim shook his head, holding his camera tighter- wanted to tell them that as things were, the fact that his parents had no idea he was  _ gone _ was probably proof of something. That they were too distracted right now to probably even answer the phone or  _ believe _ this guy. That-

 

His thoughts abruptly  _ ended _ when there was another rush of color, and the front man was suddenly crashing down onto his side, with Robin’s full body weight holding him down. The kid hopped back, landing perfectly and leveling the kind of playful  _ grin  _ that made Tim’s knees weak.

 

“Shouldn’t you guys be runnin’ back to Penguin for the night?” He asked, folding his arms. And somehow, despite looking like a beacon of  _ light _ , this kid seemed terrifying. “Hate to have to send ya to lock up for the night.”

 

“You got nothin’ on his kiddo,” the guy on the ground said, and Robin- he walked right up to his side, kicked at his hip.  _ Hard _ . The man grimaced- and Tim couldn’t fathom how no one had pulled a gun yet.

 

The kid had the guy’s body jostling, jacket opening as a large brick of  _ something white _ fell out, wrapped tightly in Saran wrap.

 

“Possession with intent to sell,” Robin said, nodding towards the brick. “This goes one of two ways. Either I call in the Bat and you guys suffer some nasty broken bones  _ and _ a stint behind bars- and your boss doesn’t bat an eyelash.  _ Or _ ,” he cocked his hip, and Tim watched his cape  _ swish _ around him. “I let ya go. For  _ once _ . You pack up, go on home for the night- don’t sell that shit on my streets, and leave this kid with me.” Robin jerked his head towards Tim, while the group of guys seemed the  _ consider _ it.

 

And then- “Yeah,  _ fine _ .” The man on the ground pushed himself up, grabbing up his dropped merchandise. “Night’s been dead anyway an’ this kid isn’t worth our time anyway.” He turned, waving his hand, and his men turned as well, all walking off back into the night.

 

Tim stared,  _ stunned _ , before Robin spun around, leveling a stare at him. “You okay?” he asked, and Tim- he could only nod, dumbly. Couldn’t make his tongue  _ work _ or even think of what sort of  _ words _ deserved to be uttered in the presence of his  _ hero _ -

 

And possibly the biggest  _ crush _ of his life.

 

“What’re you doing out so late? You’re like,  _ ten _ .”

 

Tim frowned at that, and squeaked out, “ _ I’m twelve _ !” Before his cheeks began to burn, and Robin was laughing. He stepped closer, and Tim noticed the freckles that dotted his cheeks, disappeared under his mask. His dark curls were a  _ mess _ from flying over the skyline, and there was a little color to his cheeks, glowing rosy-pink against tanned skin.

 

“Lo siento,” Robin said, still laughing- and Tim inclined his head, listening to how  _ easily _ Spanish slid off his tongue. “You’re just small.”

 

Tim pouted- didn’t  _ mean _ to, and the laughter was picking up, Robin reaching out and messing with his short hair.

 

“I’m teasing,” he said, “But really, you oughta go home, kid.”

 

“I just wanted to see you,” Tim blurted out, before his cheeks  _ burned _ and he looked away. Robin’s smile fell away, and despite the mask, he looked a little shocked. “I… I see you a lot,” Tim admitted, holding his camera up. “I was excited to see you without Batman. I can get closer that way.” He glanced back, as Robin reached out, took the camera from his hands and held onto it- but didn’t remove the strap from Tim’s neck.

 

“You were takin’ pictures of me?” he asked, and Tim nodded. There was a pause, before Robin finally said, “So you’re a little stalker, huh?”

 

“I’m not!” Tim said, pushing himself up onto his toes, trying to seem bigger, even as Robin  _ giggled _ .

 

“I’m playing,  _ gatito _ .”

 

Tim frowned. “What did you just call me?”

 

“... _ Kitten _ .” Tim made a little noise, tossing his head back and reaching up to cover his face, was so  _ sure _ this wasn’t happening at all. But Robin was still laughing, even as he spoke. “You just puffed up like an angry  _ kitten _ , what was I supposed to do?” Tim sighed, relaxing, shoulders slumping, as Robin turned his camera a little. “You know I should take the film, right?”

 

Tim swallowed, nodded, and moved to pop the camera open. Robin’s hands tightened on it though, keeping Tim from reaching, as his fingers slid over gloved ones. Robin leveled a little smile, before he let go, and the camera flopped back to Tim’s chest.

 

“It’ll be our secret, okay,  _ chico _ ?” Tim nodded. “Good, ‘cause the Bat’ll kill me if he finds out. An’ I like livin’ and all.” Robin reached up, gripped Tim’s shoulder. “Can I take you home? At least part of the way? It’s really not safe to be out alone.”

 

Tim nodded, licked his lips. “Can I,” he started, before he paused, had to take a moment to breathe. “Can I hold your hand?”

 

Robin paused for a moment, before he pulled his hand from Tim’s shoulder and reached down, grasped his hand and let their fingers lace together. Tim felt his belly do a summersault, as Robin squeezed his fingers.

 

“Sure thing. You got a name?”

 

“...Tim,” Tim barely managed, as they began  _ walking _ down the street.

 

“Well,  _ Timbo _ , next time you want pictures, stick to the safer streets, okay?” Tim nodded, felt Robin’s cape brushing against him from how close they were walking together. “I’d hate to have to get a little roughed up and have you miss my good side.”

 

Tim smiled, a little laugh bubbling in his throat, and got another squeeze to his fingers.

 

*

 

Jason growled, teeth gritted together as he punched with all his might into the large man in front of him. The man  _ definitely _ hyped up on  _ something _ and because of him and the fact that he couldn’t just keep his  _ bulky ass down _ Jason had lost his lead and probably blown a week’s worth of surveillance-

 

Everything short circuited when he got a huge fist to his gut, and Jason fell back, flat on his ass on the ground. He groaned, braced up on his hands, looking at the man who was profusely  _ sweating _ with wilded, dilated eyes. And  _ boy howdy _ this was  _ not _ how his night was supposed to go at all.

 

He was ready to take a fairly  _ nasty _ kick and maybe end up with a few broken bones, when there was a  _ blur _ of black and red, and suddenly the hulk of a man was being kicked right down to the ground. His head was grasped, and with a speed that was  _ impeccable _ , a needle was driven right into his neck.

 

He thrashed, nearly tossed Jason’s  _ savior _ off him, before collapsing down and going nearly still, except for the drastic rises and falls of his chest.

 

Jason stared, watched as Tim stood up, brushing his suit off, before turning and offering him that  _ cocky _ smile. “You in one piece, hood?”

 

Jason huffed, but didn’t stand up yet. “Yeah,” he said, “fuckin’ on something. Screwed up the whole mission with this one.”

 

“Not  _ quite _ ,” Tim said, hopping over the body and sauntering towards him- with that sway to his hips that Jason would know anywhere, that he couldn’t shake if he was  _ Tim Drake _ or  _ Red Robin _ . He leaned down, offered a hand, and Jason took it, let Tim pull him up. “Your lead is bugged and any second now, Batman will be making a bust with  _ quite _ the GCPD back-up. And this lug here’ll be knocked out for a solid few hours- I’ll call him in and we can call it a  _ night _ .”

 

Jason reached up, pulled his hood off and shook his head, letting his curls breath. There was sweat on his forehead and the back of his neck, and  _ boy _ did he  _ ache _ from that beating he had  _ begun _ to take. “You’re a lifesaver, babygirl.”

 

Tim hummed, pulled himself in closer, reaching up to get his arms around Jason’s neck. His hair was all pulled back into this messy bun atop his head, a few strands falling free over his mask. It was so  _ long _ now, and Jason sort of wished it had been down when he’d taken the guy down to the ground. It made Tim look like a  _ lion _ .

 

“You’re thinking something,” Tim mused, pursing his lips slightly. His  _ very kissable lips _ , and Jason wasn’t missing that thought, in that moment.

 

“That you look like a lion when your hair is down,” he finally said, reached up and tugging at the knot. He pulled the hair tie free, and it fell down in wild tufts and waves, as Tim laughed. “Would’ve been cool if you’d had it down when you put on that little show.”

 

“I’ll take lion over  _ kitten _ ,” Tim said, and Jason frowned.

 

“Are you  _ really _ bringing that up,  _ cariño _ ?” Tim grinned, pushed up on his toes and pecked Jason’s lips.

 

“Sure am. I think I redeemed myself a little though, for that night.” Jason laughed, hooking an arm around Tim’s waist.

 

“You’ve redeemed yourself  _ a hundred times over _ , darlin’. But it’s not like I  _ regret _ getting to save a tiny Tim in distress.” Tim smacked the back of his head, and Jason winced. “Not that you need saving  _ now _ , babygirl.”

 

“Bet your ass I don’t. If anyone does, it’s  _ you _ .” Tim dragged his hands up over Jason’s shoulders, down his chest. “But since the  _ saving _ bit is done, how about I take you home? Unless  _ you _ wanna play the stray  _ gatito _ for a night and figure out somewhere else to sleep.”

 

Jason laughed- mostly because it was probably one of  _ five _ Spanish words Tim had managed to learn, and it  _ still _ sounded funny rolling off his tongue. Tim,  _ knowing _ what Jason was laughing at, punched him in the shoulder- hard enough for Jason to hiss and wince.

 

“I’m taking back my offer,” he said, pulling away and turning, a swirl of his free hair and his black cape, “Go find someone’s couch to crash on.”

 

Jason sighed, chasing after him. “Tim,  _ babygirl _ , wait! C’mon,  _ please _ ! Por favor, mi amor-  _ Timothy _ !”

 

Tim stopped, turning back and grinning at Jason, this sort of smile that reminded him that Tim absolutely ruled the world- and Jason, he was right at the center.

 

But what did he even care- he fell for that smile a long time ago, when Tim was just a  _ fumbling kid _ and he was the  _ Robin _ of someone’s dreams- and like hell would he ever change a thing.


End file.
